ANNUAL REPORT SunLife NGO Solar Energy Project Report for the year ending 2015

Transcription

1 ANNUAL REPORT SunLife NGO Solar Energy Project Report for the year ending 2015

2 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 3 CDDF & SUNLIFE PARTNERSHIP... 4 PARTNERSHIPS... 4 OUR ACTIVITIES... 6 Trainings... 6 Provision of Green Energy Equipment... 7 Women Empowerment... 9 Formation of CDDF & SunLife Solar Clubs Empowerment of Disabled Persons Conclusion P a g e

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Today households and small businesses in Ghana are often dependent on using traditional bioenergy solutions such as cooking on open fire with fuel wood. This not only provides a minimum of life supporting energy services, but may also represent a high financial cost, a strong adverse effect on human health and added stress on the environment. Traditional solutions often comprise relatively low efficiency and much of the energy input is wasted. There is an immense dormant demand for energy services among households and small businesses in Ghana. Better energy services are seen to be necessary for improved standard of living, facilitate development and to reduce environmental impact. The improvement will consist of making traditional use patterns more efficient, and to bringing new and renewable energy resources into play. The International Energy Agency (IEA), the European Commission and other international organisations state that energy efficiency is the quickest and most cost effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy will also improve air quality, advance energy security, encourage new opportunities for cottage industry as well as cultivate green jobs within the renewable energy sector itself. In Ghana people in the rural areas lack access to adequate energy services, and some have no access to electricity. In addressing this challenge, a major partnership was built between SunLife NGO and Community Directed Development Foundation (CDDF) for the Solar Energy Project, which is aimed at promoting solar cookers that use sunlight to cook regular family meals. The project encourages women to use the savings they make from not buying fuel wood to acquire solar energy driven green energy equipment such as solar lanterns, radios fans and. Through the collaboration efforts by the two organizations, communities including Anyakpor, Totimekope, Big-Ada, Pediatorkope, Kenya in the Ada East and West Districts of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana have benefited from the Solar Energy Project. Today, women and students have been trained on installation of solar panels and construction of solar ovens. The Solar Energy Project has helped to improving the standard of living of disadvantaged communities which have limited access to electricity from the national grid. The President of SunLife NGO, Eng. Stephen Pearson and the President of CDDF, Prof. Kwabena M Bosompem, continue to work for a sustainable collaborated for this project which is expected to be replicated in vulnerable rural communities in Ghana, Africa and throughout the world. 3 P a g e

4 CDDF & SUNLIFE PARTNERSHIP Stephen Pearson (left) with CDDF President (right) Sunny saver lamp PARTNERSHIPS Sunlife NGO works in partnership with Community Directed Development Foundation (CDDF). Although the government of Ghana has long term plans to extend electricity to the entire country, this will take several years to be realized. School children in many rural areas find it very difficult to study when it is dark. As a result, their performance in school is adversely affected. To address this problem, CDDF, has established partnership with SunLife NGO to promote solar cookers that use sunlight to cook regular family meals. The project encourages women to use the savings they make from not buying fuel wood to acquire other green energy equipment. The Solar Energy Project has significantly improve the health and livelihood of most rural families in the Ada East and West Districts. School children now study at night using our solar lamps resulting in good performances in their academic pursuits. 4 P a g e

5 As part of our partnership, CDDF and SunLife provide resources (financial, human and material) to train students and women on solar oven construction. The solar ovens constructed are being used to cook family meals thereby reducing the cost of buying kerosene, charcoal and firewood. The women and their families use the savings they make from not buying fuel wood to acquire other solar equipment such as solar lanterns, radios and fans. 5 P a g e

6 OUR ACTIVITIES CDDF in collaboration with SunLife NGO conducted several activities including training, formation of solar clubs, women empowerment and provision of green energy equipment among others in the year 2015 to promote Solar Energy Project in rural Ghana. Trainings Isaac Adjaottor, CDDF Link Coordinator, trains students of Ada College of Education on solar oven construction. Using Solar Ovens to cook 6 P a g e

7 CDDF in collaboration with SunLife NGO train students and people on how to make solar ovens and use them for cooking to reduce the cost of buying fuel. We trained the students of Ada Senior High School and community members in the Ada district on how to make solar ovens as part of our last year (2015) activities. Provision of Green Energy Equipment CDDF & SunLife intervention in communities in Ada West and East districts have encouraged people who hitherto could not afford the cost of buying kerosene every night or touch light batteries for their children to study at night, are now using the solar energy to cook, study and charging their mobile phones. Isaac Adjaottor displaying Sunny saver lamps 7 P a g e

8 Solar panel and lamps Phone charging accessories Solar lamps being charged Distribution of solar lamps Children studying with the solar lamps 8 P a g e

9 Women Empowerment Through this partnership, community women from Anyakpor/Totimekope, Big-Ada, Pediatorkope, and Kenya have been trained on how to construct solar ovens, install and test the solar panels, mini suns. Now, women are able to make savings from monies hereto being spent on firewood and charcoal. This has improved the standard of living of the local people significantly. Rice, egg and yam ready to cook with SUN Cooking with solar ovens 9 P a g e

10 Cooking pot with the solar ovens Stew being prepared using solar energy Yam, Rice, Egg cooked with the SUN Training of students at Ada College of Education on Solar Oven construction 10 P a g e

11 Edna and Phyllis eating yam, rice and stew prepared with the SUN My meal is cooked with the SUN Phylis eating egg cooked with the SUN 11 P a g e

12 Zai and Isaac tasting rice after being cooked with the sun Sun over cooked rice and yam Back view of solar oven A cooking pot stand and scaffold 12 P a g e

13 Teaching people in communities the importance of making solar ovens Formation of CDDF & SunLife Solar Clubs CDDF working with SunLife NGO has decided to form solar clubs in schools to educate students on the need and importance of solar energy. Currently, there is a solar club at the Ada Senior High School and we trained the students on how to make solar ovens and use them for cooking to reduce the cost of buying fuel as part of our activities last year. Solar club at Ada Senior High School 13 P a g e

14 Demonstrating to students how the solar oven works 14 P a g e

15 Students making their own solar ovens 15 P a g e

16 Empowerment of Disabled Persons As part of our activities we train disabled persons in communities on how to make and use solar ovens. Last year we trained some disabled persons in the Ada East and West districts on how to make and use the solar ovens and this has helped to reduce the cost of buying firewood and charcoal. Training disabled persons on how to make and use solar ovens 16 P a g e

17 Conclusion The activities conducted throughout the year improved the livelihood of most people and the beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude to CDDF President, Prof K.M Bosompem and SunLife President, Mr. Stephen Pearson for their kind support to the community through the solar energy projects. 17 P a g e